Wind-actuated figure



June 26, 1928. 1,675,141

W. J. SCHOLL WIND ACTUATED FIGURE- Filed May 20, 1926 INVENTOR A iToRNEy I Patented June 26, 1928.

.7 UNITED STATES WILLIAM SCHOLL, or HUTGHINSON, KANSAS.

WIND-ACTUATED FIGURE.

Application filed May 20, 1926. Serial No. 110,41 0.-

My invention relates .to' signs and more particularly to a sign having movable means actuated by the wind.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a sign having a body portion'that is rotatably mounted and which isprovided with arms or propeller elements that are adapted to rotate when a current of air comes in contact therewith. The body portion is preferably so mounted that the engagement of the current of air therewith has a tendency to rotate the same about its axis in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation that the rotating propeller or arm members tend to set up, thus the propellermembers counteract the tendency of the body to rotate on the axis thereof due to changes in the direction of the wind which would normally cause the body to swing rapidly back and fort-hon its axis. Bythe arrangement of the propeller means and the body on its axis the body portion of the sign instead of suddenlyY-changing its position with. each shift of the wind, will gradually assume a different position as the wind changes, and

i 'will maintain such position as long as the wind comes from the same general direction.

It is a further purpose of the invention to mount the body member on the axis of rotation so that a greater area ison one side thereof than is on the other side thereof, and to mount the axis of rotation of the propeller members to 'one' side 'of the axis of rotation of the body member and on that side which has the smallest area. The location of the two axes of rotation being determined at such points that the rotation of the propeller members counteracts the tendency of the body member to swing on its axis due to the wind engaging therewith.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description of the accompanying drawings proceeds. However, I desire to have it distinctly understood that I donot intend to limit myself to the exact details shown or described, but that I intend to include as part of my invention all such obvious changes and modifications of parts as would occur to a person skilled in this art and as would fall within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved sign. 7

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation thereof, the section being taken substantially on the line 2'-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

My improved signrcomprises a post or standard The standard is preferably hollow and has a plug 4 mounted in the upper portion thereof, said plug having the shaft or pivot member 5 mounted therein, said shaft or pivot member being held in place by means of a cotter pin 6, and a washer 7 being provided between the cotter pin and the end of the plug 4. A washer 8 is mounted on the upper end of the plug 4 and. the shaft 5 extends beyond the same and into the body portion 9 of the sign. The shaft may be held in place in said body portion by means of a cross pinlO. The body portion 9 of the sign is preferably made in the form of a human figure and is made preferably out ofa flat piece of material, such as a board, so that its thickness is relatively small as compared with the height thereof or width thereof. The body portion 9 of the sign is preferably provided with ahead portion 11 at one end thereof and a leg portion 12Iat the other end thereof, and substantially at the shoulders of the figure is a transversely extending shaft 13 upon which are mounted the propeller members or blades 14 which represent the arms of the figure and which are adapted to; rotate together and with the shaft 13. The shaft 13 extends through the body portion 9 and is provided with spacing members 15 between the same and the blades 14: to space said blades from the body portion 9. Cotter pins 16 or any other fastening means can be used for holding the blades or arms 14: in position. Said blades or arms are preferably curved as shown in the drawings and are tapered so as to provide a thinned concave edge 17 and a relatively thick convex edge 18 thereon.

, The body portion of the sign from which the leg portion 12 extends preferably has a larger area extending outwardly from the shaft 5 than the portion from said shaft 5 on the head side thereof. Thus, if the arms or the position of the axis of rotation thereofrelative to the axis of rotation of the body member 9 is such that the propellers tend to turn the body in an opposite direction to that in which the body would turn, due to the wind engaging the larger area of the body lying on the leg end of the vertical axis thereof. As a result, the figure 9 takes a position that is in a direction with its length lying in the direction of the windbut at an angle of substantially thereto, in which position the body portion 9 remains in a substantially stationary condition as long as the wind is coming from the same general direction. Any slight gusty changes in direction of the Wind will not cause the bodty portion to oscillate on the'axis 0f the sha t 5, but only general changes in the direction of the wind will gradually change the position of the body portion 9.

This is particularly desirable as the body portion 9 and the rotating arms 14 thereon are intended to call attention to the sign member 19 which is secured to the standard 3 in any suitable manner as by means of the 'straps20 and which may bear any suitable advertising matter or other legend thereon.

If the body portion 9were to oscillate at too rapida rate the effect thereof wouldbe entirely spoiledand the same would not assume a stable enough condition for a person to be able to direct his attention to the same so as to accomplish the purpose of the sign.

What I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a wind actuated figure, a support, a thin, flat body ortion mounted to rotate on said support a cut, a substantially vertical axis and arms having tapered wind-receiving sides mounted on said figure to rotate "about an axis substantially perpendicular to theflat faces of said body portion and transrerse to said vertical axis and offset from being laterally offset from said vertical axis,

and said body portion havin a larger area thereof mounted on the side .t ereof opposite said blades than on the side thereof carrying said blades.

3. In a Wind actuated device, a support, a

thin, fiatbody ortion mounted to rotate on said support a ut a substantially vertical axis, sai body portion havin the flat faces thereof extending snbstantizilly verticall and propeller blades adapted to rotate su stantially at right angles to wind impulse and mountedto rotate about a substantially horizontal axis substantially perpendicular to the flat faces of said body portion, said axis being horizontally offset .from said vertical axis and said body portion hav a larger area thereof mounted on the si e thereof opposite said blades than on the side thereof carrying said blades, the area of said body portion being so distributed relative. to the vertical axis, and the axis of rotation of the blades being at such a distance from said vertical axis that the tendency of said body portion to swing about its axis due. to the shifting of the wind is counteracted by the propeller blades.

In testimony whereof I affix m signature.

WILLIAM J. HOLL. 

